I have downloaded a few photos. Delhi was as I remembered - the wonderful smell of incense (to hide the other smells) so busy with the streets all full of rickshaws, beautiful women in saris, food stalls with delicious smelling food, the Indian sweet shops, fruit and vegetable markets (with all the flies!) and everywhere the shops with clothes, shawls, shoes, saris and all the kitchen equipment - brass, silver all gleaming and inviting! And the heat, dust and pollution..
After 3 days took a train to Vrindavan, the Hare Krishna place to the south - 3 hours to go 140miles and so packed. Indian trains are not trains as we know them - if you think of something from the 50's, with bars instead of windows, reserved seating that may not be, 6 people jammed into a seat for 3, which in many cases is not upholstered, very hard with the back the same, dirty, did I mention jam packed? Sardines have a luxury life, believe me!
But as there was a festival on, and about 3000 people from all over the world crammed into a very small village, I was extremely lucky to be helped to find accomodation by a lovely Indian man and his nephew, who walked the streets (dust lanes and cows) for me - Hare Krishna! Went to the beautiful Temple with all the millions, did a bit of bargaining, had food at the Temple at night - free by donation and delicious. There were so many people, the young european girls all in their saris looking beautiful, lots of older, plump white men in their longis and robes, with their shaved heads and tiny pigtails, looking a bit incongruous when next to the beautiful Indian men, all wandering around in groups. The only people that talked to me were a group from Poland, and they were lovely and friendly, but the rest were rather self-absorbed.
After 2 days left by train for Amritsar to see the Golden Temple, and the train was a little more comfortable this time, with slightly padded seats. As it was going to be an 8 hour trip, that was a plus, as I had already spent 4 hours on the train from Vrindavan to Delhi, with a 3 hour wait. They didn't tell me at the booking office at New Delhi Station that there was a direct train!! But it was a wonderful trip, and I really enjoyed looking at the scenery - very smokey, farmers burning off at the end of the season, lovely agriculture all the way. Arrived at 10.30pm after getting up at 4.40am
Amritsar is a bit quieter and more sane than Delhi, still lots of rickshaws and traffic, but more organized I guess. The Golden Temple is so beautiful, and the water surrounding it so calm and reflective, with the Sikh people so welcoming. A nice change from all the hassling. Can hear the prayers being sung all day, and just enjoy the ambience. I have been there several times over the last 3 days at different times, and its always lovely. They give free meals 24hrs a day, and you can help with the preparations if you like,(hence the chappati pics) as all meals are free but donations are welcome.
Have been using the rickshaws a lot to get to Temple, its quite a distance 10 mins, from my hotel, and still a lot of dust and pollution and traffic. No cows on the roads here though. The day before yesterday went to the Pakistan/India Border Crossing Ceremony. It is wonderful - takes an hour in a shared jeep late in the afternoon, then a ten minute walk up a huge avenue to the entertainment stands, which are packed either side of the border with tourists - mainly Indian, and on the Other side from Pakistan. The soldiers each eye the others off, and there is an MC either side,who revs up the crowd and all you hear are the songs, cheers and India India India - Pakistan Pakistan Pakistan! At the end, I managed to push my way through the crush to the gate, and shake hands with and Indian soldier - oh joy!!
Have met up with Dutch girl Marlieke, who took these Chapati pics, we have been shopping and enjoying the sights.we may go to Dharamsala the day after tomorrow, then I will head to Rishikesh, and she goes to Rajasthan.